The Book

The ancient book felt heavy as my frail hands fingered the intricate carvings on the cover.

I loved how the book smelt musky in my hands, how it looked.

I loved the book.

And sometimes, I was sure that it loved me.

The book gave me power, the strength to stay alive in the cold, dismal world.

It made me as close to happy as I, an orphan servant with brothers who don't care how she feels, could be.

Well, I was happy until my oldest brother, Caine, interrupted.

"Put the book down Fae." He ordered.

"Yes Sir." I'm not even allowed to call my own brothers by their own names. I have to call then "Sir", or "Master".

Not really 21st Century set-up.

Discrimination was supposedly abolished decades back, but sexism has lived on in England.

But I know it's the 21st Century. The newspapers say so.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping Elliot prepare for the party?" he asked.

"Yes, but he told me to leave." I replied, knowing what was coming.

"Why?" The question that is always asked.

"Because I'm a young girl with low intelligence, who doesn't know her place." Caine's mouth twitched, suppressing a laugh.

"That's right. Now go to your room and stay there. I'll find you later to punish you for your incompetence." It was an order. An order that must be obeyed.

My room was little more than a box with a few choice books in piles, a mattress and thin blanket, and my threadbare tiger called Orange.

I sat, on the mattress, with Orange on my lap, and "Noughts and Crosses" by Malorie Blackman in my hands.

I read for what felt like days - but was probably no more than two or three hours - before deciding that I could risk going back to the room with the book.

As I crept along the corridor from my shell, I heard voices - no, one voice, Caine's, on his mobile to one of his guests probably.

I stayed hidden until he came out and walked away.

I sneaked toward the door, but before I reached it, it opened.

I jumped back, trying the hide. But then I realised that it was just Violet, my cousin, and only friend, who must have come with my other cousins whom she works for.

"Fae!" she whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to get to the storage room with all of Mum and Dad's stuff in." I little more than breathed.

"Caine called you incompetent, and said you'd been banished to your room. And anyway, that room is off limits. I know that, and I don't even live here."

"Please Violet. It's like it's calling me there."

"OK. But if we get caught I'm blaming you."

We scuttled along toward it, and I opened the door.

The book was just there.

Ready.

Waiting.

I opened it.

The last thing I knew was Caine and Elliot rushing into the room, crying.

Maybe they did care afterall.